The Output Habit

I know it’s rather late to be weighing in on the Kendrick Lamar halftime show, but I had some thoughts and I know it’s better for me to put myself out there than to keep those thoughts to myself. So, in this episode, I talk about Kendrick’s performance, the role of artists as prophets and what that’s supposed to look like.

After overcoming some technical difficulties, here (finally) is the post-race episode following the Abominable Snow Race 2025. I talk about my immediate reaction to my race result and spend some time contemplating what training and competing may look like for me in the future.

After an 8-month hiatus from racing, I’m finally getting back to competing at the Abominable Snow Race 2025. In this pre-race edition of the Output Habit podcast, I recount my history with this particular race and lay out what’s at stake this time around.

When you lose momentum, you can either give up or start over. After losing momentum with my podcast and my content, here is what I’m doing to get it going again.

Our actions today could bear fruit weeks, months, even years from now. We don’t always know exactly what the future results will be for every decision we make or every risk we take. But the more seeds we plant now, the better our odds will be in the future.

Sometimes we prepare ourselves for that big moment, we do everything right…and then we blow it. Many of us know what it’s like to choke under pressure. It never feels good. But there are always lessons to be learned through every experience. In this episode, I reflect on a disappointing performance at the Frontline OCR and share some thoughts on how to process failure and how to use the opportunit...

Heading into my race last weekend, I felt a weird mix of emotions. On one hand, it felt like I was playing with house money. I was grateful just to be able to participate because it looked like I might not even be able to race two months ago. On the other hand, I felt like there was extra pressure to make the most of this race because I don’t know when or if I’ll be able to compete like this again...

This is part 2 from my last episode, “The Disconnect,” about why we don’t follow through on things we know we should do. Ironically, I recorded this episode over 2 months ago, right before my son was born prematurely and transferred to the NICU. Yes, I need to give myself some grace because this has been a life-altering experience, but I also know that I had many opportunities to finalize and publ...

The other day I was asked by a friend: “Why can’t I do the things I know I ought to do?” At some point or another, we’ve all experienced the disconnect between knowing what we should do and actually doing it. Some people seem to have a harder time closing that gap and following through than others. Why is that? Every person and situation is unique, but in this episode, I contend that the primary r...

As scary as it may be to start something new, one of the few comforting thoughts you can always fall back on is: “I’m still new at this.” A lot of mistakes can be smoothed over because you’re still considered a novice. But at some point, the expectation is to graduate to intermediate and advanced. Being willing to start something new and go through the process of being a beginner is noble. Staying...

After The Abominable Snow Race 2024, Nate Duisterhof and I broke it down on the way home. We got his perspective as a first-timer and talked about how we can use difficult challenges like these OCR events to prepare us for the real trials that life will throw at us.

In this pre-race episode, I’m joined by special guest: Nathan Duisterhof. We rode down to the Abominable Snow Race together and talked about our hopes, expectations, and mindsets heading into the event. It was interesting to get the perspective of Nate who was not only doing his first winter OCR, but his first ever obstacle course race! Not exactly where most people start when they first get into...

It’s been two and a half years since I started making content and posting it regularly on social media. Seems like a good time to look back and reflect on what sparked that change in the first place.

For the past couple of years, I’ve been trying to do less overthinking and taking more action. In the process, I’ve learned about the value of “just starting” and learning what I need along the way. While that’s helped me to break some of my overthinking tendencies, I’ve realized that I need to be more intentional about how I’m going to grow and develop once I’ve begun. Without a plan to get a lit...

When you’re trying to make something happen or make a change, it’s usually not the big issues that get in your way…it’s all the little things that slow you down.

Everyone is a consumer. We all eat, drink, buy things, read, watch, listen, and, of course, scroll social media. But the idea is to become someone who doesn’t just spend their lives consuming. Hopefully we strive to produce, to contribute, to leave a legacy. Of course, we never stop consuming; it’s part of life. But if we want our lives to be a net positive to those around us instead of a drain, w...

It’s one thing to be artistic and make things that you like. It’s another thing to be creative and thoughtful, and make things that serve other people. But how do I know if I am the only one who likes what I’m making? How do I know when I’ve gotten good enough at my craft that my creative abilities can actually add value to other people? My answer: keep making stuff, put yourself out there, and wh...

People often say that “comparison is the thief of joy”. And I know what they’re trying to say. But comparison isn’t the problem. Noticing the differences between people (or between myself and others) is unavoidable. The question is: How will I respond? Will I allow it to breed discontentment and envy? Or is there a more productive way to use this information?

The day before a race always has me a little on edge. Recording a podcast and sharing my pre-race thoughts has become something of a tradition (and therapy) for me. In this episode, I talk about my expectations for the race and what kind of thoughts I’m dealing with as I get ready to take on an event that I’ve never competed in before.

Everything always comes back to “Why?” Unless there’s a clear answer to the question, “Why am I doing this?” then it’s only a matter of time before we fizzle out. Asking myself, “What’s at stake?” is just another way of getting at the “Why?” By creating a sense of urgency in terms of what I stand to gain or lose, it renews my focus and helps me connect the daily grind with the big picture.

It didn’t happen overnight, but by taking one step at a time and being content with slow progress, I’ve now reached 100 episodes of the Output Habit podcast. They haven’t been perfect or polished, but I’ve learned a lot about myself, about communication, and building brand. Time to take a look back and see how far we’ve come in the past two years.

Earlier this year, I had the honor and privilege of being a guest on the Ontentional Podcast with Nathan Finet and his friend & cohost, Scott. They were interested in asking me about everything I have going on (creating content, running a business, leading a ministry, raising a family, and competing as an OCR athlete), why I do it, and how I pull it off. I really appreciated the questions they ask...

At some point, most of us realize we need to make a change. Perhaps it’s a small change, perhaps it revolutionary. It could involve our health, our job, a relationship. Whatever the case, all change involves sacrifice: giving up something familiar now, for something more valuable later. But even when we admit a problem with the status quo or identify a better way of doing things, making the switch...

On the 4th of July, many of us in the United States are thinking about and celebrating freedom. But there is some disagreement today about what it means to be a “free country”. What exactly should we be free to do? What should we not be allowed to do? What sort of freedom were our forefathers fighting for? In this episode, we weigh into this discussion of freedom and distinguish between liberty an...

I recently heard comedian, Michael Jr., say that if you only focus on questions like “What do you want to do when you grow up?” then the alarm clock will always be waking you up in the morning. But if you can answer the question, “Who do you want to serve?” then you’ll be waking up the alarm clock! What we do has much more purpose and meaning when we identify how we’re going to make a difference i...